books with Athena

Friday, July 22, 2011

An Awesome Announcement

“I started reading Food of Love tonight… And I love it…the characters are so real and the situations so fascinating...

Bravo. Wow, even. I’ll get a contract in the mail to you tomorrow.

I will definitely be proud to publish and promote it. Speaking of which, would you mind if I begin mentioning it on Twitter, on Facebook, and perhaps in my blog? Those could help to build excitement about its release.

Please let me know as soon as possible.”

And, um, I did say yes. He hopes to publish it by early fall. Then hopefully, my other backlist book, the Best Revenge—and then he’ll look at my current work.

I’m going to be back in print! I have a career again.

I’ve been knocking on agents doors for five years since my old publishing company went under, and I’ve gone through the waiting game of agents sitting on partials and fulls for years at a time, only to send a curt form letter, letting me know they’re the windshield and I’m the bug.

But Popcorn Press contacted ME. Yes. The editor liked my blog and my writing style and said he might be interested in my backlist. I didn’t respond right away. I was so sure the agent who had my full was going to take me on and want my whole list.

But…of course…in the end, my road to corporate publishing went the same old/same old route.

So I sent the two books off to Popcorn Press at the end of June.

I was going to go indie if this didn’t work, but indie scares me—I’m not good at being there in the jungle all by myself.

So this is perfect for me. No agent/boss. No marketing department undermining my editor. No waiting three years for the launch. Just an honest partnership with a real person.

Anne! Awesome is totally the word! I'm sitting here smiling & wondering if you've come back down to earth yet? Don't hurry, btw. Not that we don't want you but this is a moment to savor.I'm thrilled for you & I know all your legion of fans, are too. The roar you hear will be us cheering you on.

Hooray for the hungry small publishers out there!! And hooray for you! I know I would love any book you write because of your blogging voice. Will put it on my to read list! Will help with a blog tour if you wish!

YOU ARE THE TOPS !! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DON'T CHECK ON MY BEST BLOGGER FRIENDS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS ...THEY GO OFF AND GET THE BEST NEWS EVER.

Seriously Anne, I can't think of anyone else who deserves this type of news more than you do. To continue to believe in yourself after all the time you have waited to find another publisher and to encourage the rest of us in spite of your own rejections ... you are such a trouper and I am happy for your great news.

Wow! Thanks everybody. I can't tell you how much it means to get so many encouraging comments. You all mean a lot to me.

Yeah, I've been persevering, all right. But I realize now I was going about it all wrong. I kept trying to get an agent, but agents can't take on anything that won't please the corporate bosses, and if you write "outside the box"--no matter how well you write--you're never going to please the guys in the marketing department.

For innovative writers, it's probably better to go with a small press. Small publishers are springing up everywhere, and I see them as the future of publishing.

The fact this is the first small press I've queried shows I probably should have gone this way a long time ago.

Still, I'm glad I've found Popcorn. It's so small that it's a labor of love for the owner, so this will be more like a partnership than a boss/employee situation.

This is wonderful! I've only followed your blog for a few weeks, but thoroughly enjoy it. I've thought, for about a year now, that good small publishers seem like an excellent option more than ever, given what's going on in the industry. Can't wait to hear about your process! Many congratulations!!!

Congratulations! This is wonderful news. It never ceases to amaze me how people head off in one direction, then life hands them other plans so they doodlebug off in another direction, then, if they're lucky, their doodlebugging has taken them to a place where, Ker-whump! life hands them their original plans back . . . only better.

You guys are the best! I can't tell you how much it means to see your encouraging words. After all these years, maybe it's all going to come together. Just heard from my publisher that his designer likes the cover, and only wants a few tweaks for thumbnail clarity. And he just tweeted how much he loves the book. And this is the one that agents kept telling me was "over the top" and "unpublishable."

Anne!!!!! Squeee!!!! I have to email you, but I just wanted to say congratulations here. I'm so very, very excited for you! Popcorn Press looks fantastic and just perfect for you and what you were looking for in a publisher. I LOVE that they found you and your beautiful work. *HUGS*

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I've also written a survival guide for writers withAmazon #1 author Catherine Ryan Hyde: HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGEand I have a two-fer boxed set combining The Chanel Caper by NYT million-seller Ruth Harris and The Gatsby Game: CHANEL AND GATSBY